[X] Talk about tea.
You look at the cup she's holding as she uses her free hand to mess around with her hair. She brings it back to the cup handle and gives it a light
sip.
"Iiiiiiiiis that-"
"Irish," Mami says. "I like the bitter taste."
You furrow your brow. "Why would you drink something
bitter? I don't wanna be judgy, but-"
"You
are being judgmental, though." Mami clears her throat. " Tea is a delicacy, something to be experienced. And even if you dislike it, bitterness
is a flavor. A bite. A hint of the taste of leaves."
"But...I mean, my mama drinks coffee black-"
"Of course Kyouko would drink it black," Mami mutters to herself before she continues. "Tea is a different kind of bitterness. A different kind of taste, owing to its own brewing process. Coffee is just raw bitterness. Acid and oils provide its flavor. That isn't to say that coffee doesn't have its own merits, but it is not the kind that I care for.
"That would be tea. Irish tea in particular is an eclectic mix of black teas. English tea tends to be about the same in general content, but the Irish blend is more bitter. Sharper. Most drink it with honey or milk. I believe that dilutes the flavor." She sips the drink and smiles as it goes down. "I don't expect you to understand or even enjoy the taste. What kind of drink do
you prefer?"
You shrug. "I mean...I like boba tea."
Mami's expression turns dark. "I...guess that is a kind of tea."
You narrow your eyes. "Hrm. Okaaaaaay."
"It's not my thing." She sips her tea and keeps it to her tongue. You suspect she's biting her tongue to keep from saying anything condescending. "Again, that's...fine. People can enjoy different things."
"You look like you're-"
"Let's just drop the subject."
You sigh. "Fine. Then how about haircuts. Have you thought more on that?"
She leans back. "I...still like my curls. I like my hair curls. I like the way they twist. Would there be styles that preserve that?"
"Probably." You shrug. "I mean, there are undercuts that rely on curly, curly hair."
"Then perhaps I should look into that. Ask questions from more...experienced people."
"Like my ma-?" You stop yourself, but Mami already has a hand up.
"Yes, like Kyouko. I need to get better. Actually talk to her for once. Is she going to be here tonight?"
"She's doing recon in Kasamino tonight." You lean against your girlfriend. "She won't be back for a couple of days."
"Then I should wait until then." She nods. "Though what...what would you suggest?"
You shrug. "An...I mean, I have an undercut."
Mami nods, then she brushes her hair. "But would that be...feminine enough?"
You stick your tongue out. "Feminine, shmemenine. It's about what looks right for
you. Gender's a scam, anyway."
[=]
Your name is Kyouko Sakura. And right now, you are knee-deep in enemy territory. Your wife was probably right that going back here was a bad idea.
But you're also right in that you need to know more about what you're up against. And best-case scenario, you'll find something that nobody else was able to. Though your power isn't perfect for the job, what you have over everyone else is an intimate knowledge of Kasamino. Every single filthy nook and cranny of this godforsaken place has been burned into your head, and unlike Mitakihara, it wasn't hit nearly as hard by Walpurgsinacht.
Superficial details are different, sure. Buildings have shifted around. Radio towers are in new places. There might be a new skyscraper or two. But then you see an old rusted apartment. A decrepit church off of main street that's still owned by a shady priest. A hollowed-out bank devoid of money, riddled with graffiti and sporting razor-wire wrapped around the fence. The faint smell of smog, which you think has gotten even worse since the last time you'd been here.
These streets were your home once. And fuck, you forgot how much you hated it.
Behind you, Erika taps your shoulder. "Mrs. Miki-Sakura?"
"Yes, right." You take a breath. "Just taking a whiff of the place. It's even worse than I remember." You narrow your eyes. "It's perfect for someone like Rin."
"A predator?"
"Yeah." You take a step across the pavement.
Your face is that of a forty-something-old woman with bags under her eyes, auburn hair, silver eyes, a ratty t-shirt, and ill-fitting jeans.
The magi behind you are in equally nondescript disguises as you walk through the streets, your hands in your pockets as you take a huff of your cigarette.
"So where was the last place you looked?"
"The north end of the econ district. It's where the majority of Rin's meetings appear to be taking place."
"Think she's loaded?"
"Of course she's fuckin' loaded," Yuki says. His disguise is that of a lanky, scraggly young man. Honestly it's pretty much the same as himself out of disguise, but with blonde hair and thicker musculature. "The question is
why she's loaded."
"Personal theory, rich family." You shrug. "Lonely upbringing, ego boosting, god complex, parents treated her like she shit gold, bing-bam-boom, job done. It's like a perfect way of making a despot."
"Are you speaking from experience?" Ume, who looks pretty much the same as always but with a shaved head, pokes her head out from behind Yuki.
"Kinda. It's a pretty common thing with magi leaders. They think they're hot shit, they get a following, then they try taking territory. And then they either get real strong, or they get real fucking dead. Sayaka and I have been trying to avoid that. But every so often there's just someone we can't save.
"It just comes with the job. And I really think Rin's gonna be the latter."
Nobody disagrees. But the idea of taking more lives is still a deeply unpleasant one.
You finally reach the economic district. The clothing gets noticeably nicer, and as it does, you pass under a concrete bridge. Erika takes a quick scan, then she nods at you. "Clear."
You snap your fingers, and without anyone noticing, everyone is now in three-piece suits and ties. You smirk. "Shit, I almost feel bad about doing this in disguise."
Finally, you reach the meeting building. It's a horrible, brutalist structure with tiny, hand-width windows that look like prison bars. The concrete in front is a clean, well-washed beige, but a quick look at the sides exposes moss and rot and cracks and decay.
It's genuinely terrible. Probably the worst you've ever seen.
It's also perfect for hiding meetings. You glance at Erika.
She nods and does a quick scan. A second later, and she speaks. "Meeting. Fifth floor. They have sentries on top of the building and inside the hallway of that floor. Entering the windows isn't possible."
"Yeah, that's what I figured." You look around. "And what about Rin?"
"She's in..." She looks around. "There!"
You follower her gaze towards a silver tower, where indeed, you see a woman in a black, wide-brim hat entering a high-rise. The automatic doors open as she strides her way inside.
[] Go after Rin. If you can manage to keep quiet, you can maybe find out more about her and her past. Or even kill her and nip this problem in the bud. (DIFFICULTY ??? You really doubt it'll actually be this easy)
[] Go after the plans. Best case scenario, you discover someone inside that you can de-program with Minako's help. (DIFFICULTY 3).
[] Keep searching. There's gotta be an easier way to get information.
